The US degrees that may apply are:

MSCS: Computer Science
MSCE: Computer Engineering
MSEE: Electrical Engineering
MSOR: Operations Research

MSCS---------------------------
Computer Science is mostly about bigger computer platforms though the material is primarily algorithms and analysis. The mathematics are easier than most of the others, though discrete mathematics class is quite interesting and applicable to embedded systems algorithm and analysis.

MSCE---------------------------
Computer Engineering is a relatively new degree. We old-timers suspiciously refer to it as the "4 Year DeVry Degree". Its weakness is that they try to teach only applicable material for related jobs and so its often believed that graduates lack the additional information to make them great. I've advised three family members to avoid this degree program (I can't say how successful that advice was).

MSEE---------------------------
Electrical Engineering is always the best. Its learning the WHOLE picture. "EEs" are well rounded and "proofed" to survive difficult mathematics. EE programs are considered to be one of the harder degree programs in the US. I always trust highing an EE as any sort of problem solver. They can be weak in algorithms if they have not supplemented their degree program.

MSOR---------------------------
Operations Research is the least known of the four. It is the precursor to Computer Science and stems from the World War II programs to compute efficiencies in wartime production, logistics to battlefield, decryption algorithms, ballastic computations. Basically it was a way to use the realm of the scientists applied to production and planning. All the major algorithms of Computer Science come from OR and about 40% of the program is statistics and simulations. The career description here is "Problem Solver Extraordinary." Jobs in the OR industry were primrily Telecommunications until recently. Banks and Financial Institutions started hiring them in the 90s to get the equivalent of MBAs with mathematical competence. MBAs learn the commerce blood-lust but lack the skills required and generally hire he experts to make them look good. (I can say this because I have both an MBA in finance and a MSOR).

Focus or Application to Embedded:
MSCS: ~30%
MSCE: ~60%
MSEE: ~40%
MSOR: ~ 5%

MSCS looks best but I'd say EEs make the best programmers for embedded systems. "Programmers" don't seem to get the importance of the circuitry limitations and tend to find them annoying. EEs understand that the program is simply the method to control the circuitry more flexibly than dedicated logic and so are less frustrated by the limitations.

I advise people that learn to program in C or Visual Whatever, to stick to the PC world. No programming experience is better prior to learning assembly in general; high level languages spoil programmers to resource rich environments.

duh